Although the specific nature of inattentiveness
may still be debated by clinical specialists, the most recent
edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM-IV) recognizes the condition as a distinct subtype of Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The criteria for this
predominantly inattentive variation mirrors many of the same
problem areas associated with the hyperactive subtype, including
difficulties with tracking details, sustaining attention, and
organizing tasks. However, inattentiveness is most often defined in
terms of how it differs from hyperactivity. Usually, inattentive
students do not fidget, talk excessively, or have problems staying
seated. Unlike hyperactives, they are overwhelmed rather than
energized by stimulating situations, and they donít have problems
finishing tasks so much as getting started on them. They donít react
impulsively; in fact, they may not appear to react at all. As
disorders come and go, inattentiveness definitely qualifies as
understated.

The conditionís low profile is reflected by
the lack of information available on the topic; research and
professional publications devoted specifically to inattention are
scarce in comparison to the volumes of material generated on
hyperactivity. Moreover, while hyperactive children are often
identified through behavioral evaluations in their early school
years, inattentive individuals may not be diagnosed as having
learning problems until late in life, if they are identified at all.
Clearly, the dramatic and observable behaviors of hyperactives
receive more attention from ADHD experts and from society as
a whole, but it would be a mistake to categorize inattentiveness as
a mild form of ADHD. While inattentive behaviors may not be
colorful or spectacular, the consequences of these behaviors can be
equally tragic.

Inattentive Tendencies

In order for educators, counselors, and parents
to assist inattentive students with successful management
strategies, they must reach an understanding of the condition, but
reaching this understanding is a challenge in itself. In terms of
emotional issues, inattentive people tend to channel their feelings
inwardly rather than express themselves openly; when faced with a
crisis, they typically detach from the situation instead of
taking action. Often characterized as passive daydreamers,
their general unresponsiveness constitutes a barrier between
themselves and others. Penetrating this barrier, even in
face-to-face conversations, is an endeavor that frequently ends up
as an exercise in frustration.

Another inattentive tendency could be
summarized by the adage, appearances are deceiving.
Inattentive students often seem to be paying attention as they sit
quietly, and, indeed, they may stare directly at the instructor for
an entire class period. Yet, during this time, their thoughts have
drifted from the real world around them. In such instances,
their bodies remain stationary while their minds wander aimlessly
through a universe of ideas and images; frequently, their academic
performance reflects this lack of connection with classroom
activities.

Personal Issues

The personal lives of inattentives also tend to
be less than satisfactory. They often have difficulties acquiring
the basic communication skills necessary for socialization with
peers and for negotiation with authority figures. Their inability to
maintain concentration makes them poor listeners, and their lack of
assertiveness makes it easy for them to be overlooked and to be
lost in the crowd.

Family dynamics can be equally troublesome,
particularly if parents become trapped in a cycle of protecting an
inattentive child from the consequences of his/her inactions.
What may have begun as well-meaning attempts to help a child through
a series of crisis situations soon falls into a pattern in which the
inattentive individual automatically expects rescue, a condition
which experts call learned helplessness. While parents focus on
helping the child survive the immediate crisis, they hold to the
hope that next time will be different. In the long run, their
attempts to help actually reinforce the behaviors that triggered the
crisis in the first place. Denied the opportunity to take charge of
the problem and work toward a solution, the inattentive child does
not develop the skills or the confidence needed to face the next
emergency.

Management Strategies

Managing the complexities of inattentiveness
requires multiple strategies to address the multiple facets of the
condition; however, the success of all remediation strategies rests
upon improving the personís general ability to focus and sustain
attention. For many inattentives, achieving sustained attention may
involve therapeutic medications as well as specific practice with
concentration exercises. In most cases, medication can facilitate
the acquisition of skills, but research and clinical experience have
demonstrated medication alone will not cure the skill
deficiencies which have plagued the inattentive individual
throughout her or his lifetime.

Remediation programs for inattentive clients at
Brainworks typically include attention span training in
fundamental areas such as listening skills and reading
comprehension. On more advanced levels, clients may practice
maintaining concentration for taking lecture notes as well as
sustaining attention during lengthy test-taking sessions. As
training sessions begin, clients work with high interest
materials for only a few minutes at a time, but as their ability to
concentrate improves, they move to less interesting materials and
gradually extend the length of time they maintain their focus. Also,
attention span training involves strengthening the individualís
ability to screen environmental distractions; at the start,
students practice maintaining attention in isolated study rooms, but
as training proceeds, they work on maintaining their concentration
in open areas with higher degrees of visual and auditory
distractions present.

Lines of Communication

Listening skills are given special emphasis in
the lesson plans of many clients because the ability to capture
auditory information has a direct impact on school achievement.
However, listening exerts an even more pervasive influence as an
element in the communication process. Although listening appears to
be a passive activity, effective listening requires the active
engagement of both the brain and the ears. If the person on the
receiving end of a spoken message does not capture the incoming
information accurately, that personís response to the information
will also be inaccurate. At this point in the conversation,
communication stalls from lack of feedback, or (worse) it
degenerates into confusion or conflict because the listenerís
feedback was inappropriate. In conjunction with improving listening
skills, clients address the skills on the other side of the
communication coin by working on personal expression. People who
are able to express themselves clearly will usually find success at
getting their needs met; they will also feel more confident in their
relationships and will experience less frustration. As our
inattentive clients work on improving their expressive skills, they
begin by exploring the emotional responses words can prompt and by
learning how to rephrase statements to achieve the desired response
from listeners. Inattentive clients at Brainworks also devote
time to increasing their awareness of other areas of communication,
such as body language, facial expressions, eye contact, and tone of
voice. Eventually, all the tools of communication are tested
in face-to-face conversations on a wide range of topics.

Independent Problem-Solving

After an inattentive individual is able to
maintain an attention span and communicate successfully, he or she
is ready to put these skills into action in problem-solving
applications. In these advanced activities, clients review the
principles of basic logic and critical thinking, including the
errors in logical thinking which can hinder a personís ability to
perceive a problem accurately. In addition, they learn structured
strategies for analyzing problem situations, developing multiple
options for solutions, and evaluating which options would produce
the most positive outcomes. Clients also review how to monitor their
solutions for effectiveness and how to adjust their solution
strategies when necessary.

As clients are introduced to the skills, they
practice applying them to sample problem situations, which reflect
typical real life problems. Because these problem scenarios
are about fictional third-party characters, the exercises are less
personally threatening and thus more approachable. However, as the
inattentive client begins to grasp the principles and processes for
dealing with these fictional problems, the lesson plans gradually
shift to addressing the actual problem situations faced by that
individual. Eventually, the client assumes a take-charge role
in terms of negotiations and crisis resolution; the formerly
dependent helpless inattentive becomes an independent
problem-solver.

Lost and Found

The most insidious quality of inattentiveness
is its quiet invisibility. While it has the power to erode the lives
of those who exist in the world of the wandering mind, it does so
without fanfare or fireworks. Inattentives can easily become lost in
the shuffle of society and may never experience the power of
self-direction and personal accomplishments. However, with the
proper management strategies, these same individuals can find
themselves by finding success in school, at the work place, and
in relationships.